Panic exit lock



Nov. 2, 1965 A. WIKKERINK PANIC EXIT LOCK Filed May 6, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV- 2, 1965 L.. A. WIKKERINK 3,214,947

PANIC EXIT LOCK Filed May 6, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, cfzce Nov.2, 1965 1 A. wlKKl-:RINK

PANIC EXIT LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 6, 1963 INVENTOR. @z2/,m a,MM

BY WW/Mf/ 2 United States Patent O 3,214,947 PANIC EXIT LOCK Lance A.Wikkerink, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Republic Industries, Inc.,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of illinois Filed May 6, 1963, Ser. No.278,054 8 Claims. (Cl. 70-92) This invention relates in general to panicexit doors and more particularly to an improved panic exit doormechanism which provides several optional desirable modes of operation,some of which have not previously been available.

Panic exit doors present a number of problems since during certain hoursof the day the door should be freely movable between the closed and openpositions, while during other hours the door should be locked to prevententrance, but easily opened from the inside to permit exit. To permiteasy exit through the locked door, a panic exit bar is utilized on theinside of the door for unbolting the door in response to the applicationof pressure to the bar.

Usually the panic exit bar is held depressed during the daylight hoursto retract the bolts and the door is freely movable to permit passagewith the least interference. The arrangement for depressing or releasingthe panic bar generally comprises an Allen head stop screw which isadjusted in one or the other direction to position the panic baraccordingly. The screw usually is located in the under side of thecanopy or housing which supports the panic bar, and, as a rule, aspecial Allen wrench is used to make the rather cumbersome adjustment.

To avoid this adjustment problem, the present invention utilizes a verysimple mechanism for alternatively retracting the bolts in one positionor placing the bolts under control of the panic bar when in anotherposition, the mechanism being actuated by simple operation of a key in aconventional lock which is provided for the panic door. This avoids theneed for adjustment of the stop screw, and thus, when the door is openedin the morning, for example, the key is inserted and turned. Thisretracts the bolts and disengages the panic bar from the bolt operatingmechanism and leaves the door free to swing without latching action.Likewise a simple revolution of the key in the lock in the reversedirection permits the door to latch and places the bolts under controlof the panic bar. In either the locked or unlocked condition the key canbe removed.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide animproved panic lock mechanism having the above set forth desirablefeatures as well as other advantages to appear presently.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedpanic exit door in which the panic bar is engaged with or disengagedfrom the bolt operating mechanism by a simple operation of the door keywhich is removable in either the locked or unlocked condition.

In addition, the present invention includes improvements by which thestress on the key during movement of the various parts by the key ismaintained at a substantially constant small value over a range ofalmost a full turn of the key, instead of the key being subjected to ahigh torque during a short range of movement.

It is therefore another object ot the present invention to provide animproved arrangement for directly key operating the latch elements of apanic exit door without subjecting the key to high stresses.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide animproved latch arrangement for a panic exit door such that the bolts arealways held retracted when the door is open, but are adapted to snapinto latching position when the door is closed providing the key hasbeen operated to the locked position.

3,214,947 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 Yet another object is to provide a novellatch having the above advantages, but which is easily adapted to beunlocked by adjustment of its stop screw in the conven-Y tional mannerif desired.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent on examination of the following specication and claims togetherwith the drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a general plan view of the door andframe from the inside;

FIG. 2 is a vertical View taken through the line 2 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion ofthe door with the door partly open;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG` 5 is a large scale cross sectional view taken along the line 5 5 ofFIG. 1 showing the central portion of the mechanism with the door closedand locked;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7 7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a View similar to FIG. 5, but illustrates the positions of theelements when the bolts have been retracted by actuation of the panicbar; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but illustrating the mechanism as itappears when the bolts have been retracted by key actuation.

In FIG. 1 a panic exit door is indicated by the reference character 10.It is mounted in a door frame 12. The door frame comprises a pair ofspaced apart upright members 14 and 15 having a head 16 and a thresholdstrip I8. The door Il) is hinged so as to pivot about upper and lowerpins 20, one of which forms a portion of a conventional door checkingmechanism (not shown) which closes the door under control whenever it isopened and released.

The door comprises a framework having left and right hollow verticalstiles 22 and 24 united by a pair of horizontal rails 26 and 27 forenclosing a glass panel 28. A conventional handle 29 (FIG. 2) may beprovided on the outside of the door, and a cylinder lock assembly 30 ismounted in the door and is adapted to receive a key 31 from the outsideof the door, as seen in FIG. 9. The metal door 10 and frame 12 may beconsidered to be essentially conventional.

A panic bar 32 is supported between a pair of housings 34 mounted on thestiles 22 and 24 approximately midway between the upper and lower rails26 and 27. The housings 34 are supported on the Stiles 22 and 24 bymeans of a pair of spaced apart studs 36, as seen in FIG. 2, havingperipheral recesses 37 therein adapted to be engaged by set screws 3S asseen in FIG. 4, for example. The panic bar 32 is generally U-shapedhaving a horizontal cross bar 39 and a pair of vertical lever arms 40which are pivotally suspended from pins 42 carried by the housings 34 asbest seen in FIG. 2.

The arm 40 at the free edge of the door 10 terminates in a lever 44located in a recess 46 formed in its housing 34. A vertically alignedspring guide and sleeve assembly 48 under pressure of a spring S0 servesto bias the lever 44 and the panic exit bar 32 into counterclockwiserotation about pins 42 so that the bar 39 is normally held away from thedoor. An adjusting screw 52 threaded into the under side of the housingby means of an Allen wrench, diagrammatically illustrated at 54, bearsagainst the lower face of the lever 44 and serves to position the panicbar. In prior arrangements it is necessary to adjust the screw 52 todifferent positions for placing the panic bar 32 in a bolt operatingposition or for retracting the bolts. In the present arrangement, thescrew 52 may be used for the same purpose, but ordinarily it is notnecessary to change the adjustment.

The nose portion of the lever 44 is adapted to engage a roller 56carried adjacent the lower edge of a U-shaped slide or traveler 58. Thecentral leg 60 of the slide has a vertical slot 62 therein adjacent itslower end in which the upper end 64 of an L-shaped depending boltoperating rod 65 is engaged. The slide element 58 also has an aperture66 therein near its upper end which embraces the lower end 68 of anupstanding L-shaped bolt operating rod 70.

`The bolt rods 65 and 70 extend through slots 72 in the stile 22 intothe hollow space within the stile, and each has a flanged bearing collar73 thereon which serves t0 guide its rod in the stile, the collars beingretained by split rings 71. The rods 65 and 70 have respectiveextensions 74 and 76 adjustably secured on the ends thereof by jamb nuts77. The extensions 74 and 76 in turn connect the rods to a lower boltassembly 78 and an upper bolt assembly 80 respectively.

The lower bolt operating assembly 78 comprises a bolt element 82pivotally mounted by means of a pin 84 on a U-shaped latch housing 85.The housing 85 in turn is secured adjacent the lower end of the stile22. The bolt element 82 is also pivotally connected to rod extension 74by a pin 86. A spring 87 carried on pin 84 biases the bolt 82 forcounterclockwise rotation about pin 84 so that the rod 65 and itsextension 74 are normally biased downward. In this position, the lowerportion 88 on the bolt element extends below the bottom door edge andengages va recess 89 in the threshold, as shown in FIG. 2, to hold thedoor locked.

The upper bolt assembly comprises a U-shaped latch housing 90 mounted inthe hollow framework of door adjacent the top of the stile 22. Thehousing 90 carries pins 94 and 95 which pivotally support a top latchelement 96 and a latch release element 98. The release element 98 ispivotally connected to the upper end of rod extension 76 by means of apin 100, and it has a resilient Vbumper 102 extending therefrom. Therelease element 98 has an arm 99, the end of which serves to hold thelatch element 96 in a substantially horizontal position when theconnector 76 and the rod 70 are moved downwardly to pivot the arm 99 ina counterclockwise direction about pin 95 and bring the bumper 102against the inside surface of the housing 90.

The latch element 96 has a V-shaped groove 103 in its upper surface. Thegroove 103 engages a strike 104 having a similar V shape and dependingfrom the upper jamb for maintaining the door locked. The upperhorizontal rail 26 of the door is cut away at 105 to enable the door 10to move past strike 104, while a depending ange 104a on the jamb acts asa stop.

When the connector 76 is raised to pivot the release element 98clockwise about pin 95, the latch element 96 falls out of engagementwith strike 104 to permit the door 10 to be opened. When the latch 96falls, the lower corner 106 of the latch nests in a notch 107 in theback surface of the release element 98 and prevents the release elementfrom returning to the latching position as seen in FIG. 3.

A vertically disposed retractor or rack 108 is carried between the legsof the U-shaped slide 58. One side edge of the rack is against thecentral inside face of the web of the slide with the smooth back of therack against one of the slide side rails 110, so that the teeth 109 atthe front of the rack face toward the slide center line. A plate 112 anda spring washer 114 secured between the rack 108 and a boss 116 on thehousing 34 serves to maintain the rack 108 and slide 58 in position.

The rack 108 in turn is adapted to be reciprocated by la pinion 118which is journaled in the boss 116 and in a bearing 119 in the stile 22.A slot 122 is provided in the back wall 60 of slide 58 to accommodatethe hub of the pinion while permitting limited vertical movement of theslide. The rack 108 is provided with grooves or notches 124 and 126 atits lower and upper ends respectively so that it can move vertically toa limited extent relative to the ends 64 and 68 of the rods 65 and 70.

A rectangular drive shaft 128 connects the pinion 118 with the cylinderlock assembly 30 so that the key 31 can rotate the shaft 128 and pinion118 to run the rack 108 upwardly or downwardly.

When the door is locked, as is indicated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the panic bar32 projects outwardly with its cam 44 in the lower position just out ofcontact with the roller 56. The slide 60 and rack 108 are in theirlowermost positions, the slide being held down mostly by the weight ofthe rods 65 and 7 0.

If the door 10 is to be unbolted through operation of the panic bar 32,pressure is applied to the cross bar 39 for rotating the lever 40clockwise about pin 42 against the pressure of spring 50. The cam nose44 acts against the roller 56 to raise the slide 58. Under theseconditions, the pinion 118 does not rotate and the rack 108 remains inthe position shown in FIG. 5. The slide 58 on moving upwardly raises therod end 68 and rod segments 70-76, which pivots the locking element 98clockwise about pin 95 to remove the latch support 99 from beneath latchelement 96. Latch element 96 therefore falls around pivot pin 94 as soonas the door is opened slightly, and releases the strike 104 so that theupper bolt assembly is unlocked. When this happens, the corner 106 oflatch element 96 falls behind the back edge 107 of the release element98 to hold the latch element 96 in the unlatched position.

As the slide 58 moves upwardly, the lower end of slot 62 engages rod end64 and raises the rod segments 655-74. This pivots latch element 82clockwise about pin 84 against the tension of spring 87 to lift element82 from the threshold recess 89. The door 10` may then be swung open.The relative positions of the elements under these conditions are shownin FIGS. 8 and 3.

When the door has swung outwardly and the bar 32 has been released, thepressure of spring 50 returns the bar to normal; however, the slide 58remains in its raised position due to the latching effect of theelements 96 and 98. The door, after release, is returned to its closedposition under the inuence of a suitable door check mechanism so thatthe strike 104 engages latch 96 to pivot corner 106 counterclockwise outof engagement with notch 107. This enables rod segments 76 and 70 tofall and to carry along slide 58. As the slide 58 moves downwardly, thispermits rod segments 65 and 74 to move in the same direction. Thispivots latch 82 into engagement with recess 89, and the door is thusreturned to locked condition.

To unlock the door 10 from the outside, a key 31 is inserted in lockassembly 30 and rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 134 inFIG. 9 one full turn, and then removed if desired. This rotates theshaft 128 and pinion 118, and raises the rack 108. When the lower end ofrack upper groove 126 engages rod end 68, the rod 70 is raised and thisraises the slide 58 which is xed thereto. The moving slide 58 in turnraises the rod end 64 and rod segments 65 and 74. The rod segments 76and 74 therefore operate to retract bolts 82 and latch 96 in the mannerpreviously explained.

The door may now be opened, leaving the rack 108 and slide 58 in theupper position shown in FIG. 9. The door then remains unbolted so thatit may be freely moved between its open and closed positions. Each timethe door is closed, the latch element 96 engages the strike 104 and thelatch swings upwardly, but since it is not supported in this position,its movement does not influence door operation. The release element 98,however, remains in retracted position, since the rack 108 holds theslide 58 and rod end 68 from moving downwardly. The panic bar 32 is,under these conditions, disengaged from the slide as shown in FIG. 9 andits movement rendered immaterlal in so tar as operation of the latchmechanism is concerned.

It should be noted that the rack is moved the same distance for eachincrement of key movement, and that the key rotates through a full turnbetween locked and unlocked positions. The torque requirements upon thekey are therefore very low as compared with other systems, particularlysystems which lock or unlock with a half turn of a key, and systems inwhich bolt movement is greater during certain increments of the keymovement. Furthermore, the key can be removed in either the locked orunlocked positions.

To lock the door, the key 31 is used to rotate shaft 128 in a directionopposite to that indicated by arrow 134 in FIG. 9. This rotates thepinion 118 and moves the rack 108 downward from the position shown inFIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. 8. Thereafter, when the door isclosed, the mechanism assumes the position shown in FIG. l; that is,when the latch 96 moves into engagement with the strike 184, theconnector 76, rod 76, and slide 58 can move downward, since they are nolonger held by the rack S. As the slide drops, rod segments 65-74 becomeunsupported and move downward under the inuence of gravity and thepressure of spring 87 to seat the bottom latch element 88 in recess 89.The door is now locked and the slide S8 is in position to be operated bythe panic bar 32.

It will be noted from the above that temporary unlocking of the door isgreatly facilitated. Thus the key may be operated to unlock the door andthe door opened to permit entrance. The key may then be operated in thereverse direction and removed while the door is held open. Thereafter,if the door is allowed to close, it will automatically relock.

When a multiple door system is used, it may be desirable to have onlyone door equipped fully as described above to gain entrance. The otherdoors can be dogged open from the inside by using the Allen type key 54(FIG. 2) to tighten the dogging screw 52 which operates against theunderside of lever 44. Doors to be so operated need not have the lock30, shaft 128, pinion 118, or rack 108, and these elements may be simplyomitted without otherwise changing the mechanism.

It will be noted that the lower end of the slide has a slot 62 forforming the attachment to the end 64 of the lower control rod 65. Thisarrangement provides a lost motion connection so that if there is astone, or dirt or the like, in the threshold strip recess 89, the doorwill still lock at the top if, of course, the key has been turned tolocked position. Thus, when the door is closed-even though the lowerlatch element S8 cannot fall into the recess 89, thereby holding the rod65 in its upper position-there is still sufficient lost motion to permitthe mechanism at the top of the door and the slide to operate in theusual manner.

It will be appreciated that the invention has been described inconnection with a specific embodiment and that variations in thestructure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, and that the scope of the invention is to be measured by thescope of he following claims.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. A lock mechanism for use on a panic door adapted to be mounted in adoor frame comprising a panic bar, means pivotally attaching said panicbar to said door and biasing a portion of said bar outwardly away fromsaid door, latches mounted on the door and normally conditioned when thedoor is closed for locking said door to s-aid door frame and adapted inan alternative condition to free said door when control elementsconnected thereto are moved in one direction, a slide adapted to beoperated in a certain direction by said panic bar when said portion isdepressed and connected to move said control elements in said onedirection away from said normal condition to free said door when saidslide is moved in said certain direction, an element movable with saidslide, a movable rack carried adjacent said slide, a pinion meshed withsaid rack, cylinder lock means having a certain angular position atwhich a key is insertable and removable, means connecting said cylinderlock means to said pinion for rotating said pinion to move said rackback and forth in an endwise direction depending upon the direction ofrotation of said cylinder lock, means on said rack for engaging theelement movable with said slide and operating said slide in said certaindirection to free said door in response to rotation of said cylinderlock in one direction to said certain angular position, and rotation ofsaid cylinder lock in the opposite direction back to the same saidcertain angular position moving said rack in the opposite direction tofree said slide.

2. A lock mechanism for use on a panic door adapted to be mounted in adoor frame comprising a panic bar, means pivotally attaching said panicbar to said door and biasing a portion of said bar outwardly away fromsaid door, latches mounted on the door and normally conditioned when thedoor is closed for locking said door to said door frame and adapted inan alternative condition to free said door when control elementsconnected thereto are moved in one direction, a slide adapted to beoperated in a certain direction by said panic bar when said portion isdepressed and connected for moving said control elements in said onedirection away from said normal condition to free said door when saidslide is moved in said certain direction, an element movable with saidslide, a movable member carried adjacent said slide, a rotatable elementconnected for moving said member, cylinder lock means having a certainangular position at which a key is insertable and removable, meansconnecting said cylinder lock means to said rotatable element forrotating said rotatable element to move said member in either directiondepending upon the direction of rotation of said cylinder lock, means onsaid member for engaging the element movable with said slide andoperating said slide in said certain direction to free said door inresponse to rotation of said cylinder lock in one direction to saidcertain angular position, and rotation of said cylinder lock in theopposite direction back to the same said certain angular position movingsaid member in the opposite direction to free said slide.

3. A lock mechanism for use on a panic door adapted Ato be mounted in adoor frame comprising a panic bar, means pivotally attaching said panicbar to said door and biasing a portion of said bar outwardly away fromsaid door, top and bottom latches mounted on the door and normallyconditioned when the door is closed for locking said door to said doorframe and adapted in an alternative condition to free said door whencontrol elements connected thereto are moved in one direction, a slideadapted to be operated in a certain direction by said panic bar whensaid portion is depressed and connected for moving said control elementsin said one direction away from said normal condition to free said doorwhen said slide is moved in said certain direction, an element movablewith said slide, a movable rack carried adjacent said slide, a pinionmeshed with said rack, cylinder lock means having a certain angilarposition at which a key is insertable -and removable, means connectingsaid cylinder lock means to said pinion for rotating said pinion to movesaid rack back and forth in an endwise direction depending upon thedirection of rotation of said cylinder lock, means on said rack forengaging the element movable with said slide and operating said slide insaid certain direction to free said door in response to rotation of saidcylinder lock in one direction to said certain angular position, androtation of said cylinder lock in the opposite direction back to thesame said certain angular position moving said rack in the oppositedirection to free said slide, the connection between said slide and saidlower latch including lost motion means to permit said lower latch toremain retracted if blocked against extending when said slide is freed.

4. A lock mechanism for use on a panic door adapted to be mounted in adoor frame comprising a panic bar, means pivotally attaching said panicbar to said door and biasing a portion of said bar outwardly away fromsaid door, top and bottom latches mounted on the door and normallyconditioned when the door is closed for locking said door to said doorframe and adapted in an alternative condition to free said door whencontrol elements connected thereto are moved in one direction, a slideadapted to be operated in a certain direction by said panic bar whensaid portion is depressed and connected for moving said control elementsin said one direction away from said normal condition to free said doorwhen said slide is moved in said certain direction, an element movablewith said slide, a movable member carried adjacent said slide, arotatable element connected for moving said member, cylinder lock meanshaving a certain angular position at which a key is insertable andremovable, means connecting said cylinder lock means to said rotatableelement for rotating said rotatable element to move said member ineither direction depending upon the direction of rotation of saidcylinder lock, means on said member for engaging the element movablewith said slide and operating said slide in said certain direction tofree said door in response to rotation of said cylinder lock in onedirection to said certain angular position, and rotation of saidcylinder lock in the opposite direction back to the same said certainangular position moving said member in the opposite direction to freesaid slide, the connection between said slide and said lower latchincluding lost motion means to permit said lower latch to remainretracted if blocked against extending when said slide is freed.

5. The combination called for in claim 1, including means for holdingsaid latches in the said alternative doorree condition when the door isopen regardless of the position of said rack.

6. The combination called for in claim 2 including means for holdingsaid latches in the alternative door-free condition when the door isopen regardless of the position of said member.

7. The combination called for in claim 3 including means for holdingsaid latches in the said alternative doorfree condition when the door isopen regardless of the position of said rack.

8. The combination called for in claim 4 including means for holdingsaid latches in the said alternative doorfree condition when the door isopen regardless of the position of said member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,518,187 12/24Dyer 70-92 2,805,091 9/57 Clifton 292-21 2,824,440 2/ 5 8 Jewett et al70-92 2,932,536 4/60 Pyknen 70-92 2,959,440 l1/60 Hay 292-92 3,083,5604/63 Scott 70-92 ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner.

1. A LOCK MECHANISM FOR USE ON A PANIC DOOR ADAPTER TO BE MOUNTED IN ADOOR FRAME COMPRISING A PANIC BAR, MEANS PIVOTALLY ATTACHING SAID PANICBAR TO SAID DOOR AND BIASING A PORTION OF SAID BAR OUTWARDLY AWAY FROMSAID DOOR, LATCHES MOUNTED ON THE DOOR AND NORMALLY CONDITIONED WHEN THEDOOR IS CLOSED FOR LOCKING SAID DOOR TO SAID DOOR FARME AND ADAPTED INAN ALTERNATIVE CONDITION TO FREE SAID DOOR WHEN CONTROL ELEMENTSCONNECTED THERETO ARE MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION, A SLIDE ADAPTED TO BEOPERATED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION BY SAID PANIC BAR WHEN SAID PORTION ISDEPRESSED AND CONNECTED TO MOVE SAID CONTROL ELEMENTS IN SAID ONEDIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID NORMAL CONDITION TO FREE SAID DOOR WHEN SAIDSLIDE, A MOVABLE RACK CARRIED ADAJACENT SAID SLIDE, A PINION MESHED WITHSAID RACK, CYLINDER LOCK MEANS HAVING A CERTAIN ANGULAR POSITION ATWHICH A KEY IS INSERTABLE AND REMOVABLE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID CYLINDERLOCK MEANS TO SAID PINION FOR ROTATING SAID PINION TO MOVE SAID RACKBACK AND FORTH IN AN ENDWISE DIRECTION DEPENDING UPON THE DIRECTION OFROTATION OF SAID CYLINDER LOCK, MEANS ON SAID RACK FOR ENGAGING THEELEMENT MOVABLE WITH SAID SLIDE AND OPERATING SAID SLIDE IN SAID CERTAINDIRECTION TO FREE SAID DOOR IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF SAID CYLINDERLOCK IN ONE DIRECTION TO SAID CERTAIN ANGULAR POSITION, AND ROTATION OFSAID CYLINDER LOCK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BACK TO THE SAME SAIDCERTAIN ANGULAR POSITION MOVING SAID RACK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOFREE SAID SLIDE.